Loading apparatus



J. MORROW.

LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12,1922.

' Patented Nov. 21, 1922.v

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

Q mm

J. MORROW.

LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 12. I922.

1,436,,5 1 7. Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

J. MORROW.

LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I2, I922.

1,436,517. Patented Nov. 21, 1922,

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

San/001M015 Jzyaiv'aza J. MORROW.

LOADING APPARATUS,

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12.1922.

1 ,436, 5 1 '7. Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N Mr/vza eling the coal into the cars.

Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

UNITED STATES JEREMIAH MOBROW, OF WELLSTON, OH IO.

LOADING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 12, 1922. Serial No. 574,515.

To all whom it may 0091 067"):

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH Monnow, a citizen of the United States, residin at lVellston, in the county of Jackson and state of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Loading Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to loading apparatus and is designed primarily for loading coal from the floor of a mine onto cars lined up adjacent the apparatus. It has been the practice generally to employ men for shov- Some machines have been devised for gathering the coal and directing it into wagons or cars but as a general rule this machinery has been very bulky, extremely high priced, and has not operated with sufficient speed to justify its installation.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a loading apparatus which will be fed automatically along the floor of the chamber in the mine, moving continuously, if desired, from one end to the other of the chamber and picking up the coal and discharging it laterally into cars positioned at one side of the path of movement of the apparatus.

Another object is to provide mechanism of this character the elevating means of which scrape along the smooth floor of the mine so as to insure the proper picking up of the pieces of coal and their conveyance to the delivery mechanism.

Another object is to provide simple and eflicient means whereby an operator moving with the apparatus can guide it readily so as to hold it to its proper course during the loading operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of constructionhereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within' thescope of what is claimed, changes in the; precise embodiment of the invention showmean be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown,

In said drawings .Figure 1 is a top plan view of the loading apparatus.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken longitudinally of the transverse conveyor.

Flgure 5 is a longitudinal section through the drum of the back haul line and through the parts adjacent thereto.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of the worm gearing. i.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section through the adjustable line guiding carriage.

. Figure 8 is a transverse section through a portion of the driving mechanism.

Figure 9 is a transverse section through one of the worm conveyors and the adjacent portion of its trou h.

Referring to the gures by characters of reference 1 designates the upstanding side plates of the frame of the apparatus, these being connected at their back ends by a transverse structure 2 and, at other points, by cross strips or beams 3 serving to reenforce the structure. Axles 4 are journaled within the sides of the frame and are supported by wheels 5 whereby the apparatus can be moved readily over the floor of the mine. Interposed between and secured to the sides of the frame is an inclined plate 6 having a straight front edge indicated at 7 while back from this edge the incline is so shaped as to provide longitudinally extending troughs 8. The rear or upper portion of the inclined plate is provided with a rearwardly and downwardly inclined flan e 9 extending from one side to the other of t e apparatus and overhanging one edge of a transversely extending endless conveyor 10. An angularly adjustable frame 11 is extended laterally from the rear portion of one side of the frame of the apparatus and a shaft 12 is journaled in the free end of this adjustable frame and carries sprockets 13. These sprockets engage the chains 14 of conveyor 10 and said chains also engage sprockets 15 mounted on a longitudinal shaft 16 journaled in the rear structure 2 of the main frame and in a suitable bearing 17 extending from one of the beams 3. The upper flight of the belt is supported by cleats 18 so that it will not sag and similar cleats 19 are also extended inwardly from the sides of the adjustable frame 11 so as to support that portion of the upper flight mounted Within the frame. It will be noted that thechains of the belt are connected by cross rods 20 so as to provide a proper support for the fabric of the belt. Cross ribs 21 are arranged on the outer or active face of the belt frir engagement with the material being hand ed.

Obviously an material delivered u wardly along 't e troughs 8 will be discharged over the flange 9 and onto the belt 10 which, in turn, will operate to conve the material laterally and thence upward y so as to deliver itfrom the upper endof the frame 11. a

Arranged within the forward portions of the troughs 8 are bearings 22 and additional bearings are extended upwardly from;the flange 9 as shown at 23. In these bearings are journaled worm conveyors 24 supported longitudinally within the troughs, one of these conveyors being provided iii-each trough and each conveyor being pitched oppositely to the next adjoining conveyor. This is clearly indicated in F'igure'l. The front ends of the worm conveyors are tapered and project beyond the edge 7 ofthe inclined plate 6, the pgints of these convey- .ors being adapted to scrape along the floor" of the mine over which the wheels 5 are travelin Secured to the rear end-portion of each of the worm conveyors is a gear 25, all of these gears being constantly exposed andthe diameters of the gears being preferably equal to or less than the greatestdiameters of the worm conveyors. The gears mesh with a series of screws 26 carried by a transverse shaft 27 and secured to one end of this shaft is a gear 28 constantly in mesh with alarger gear 29 loosely mounted on a' transverse shaft 30 extending under the inclined plate 6. This gear has a clutch member 31 connected thereto so as to rotate therewith. Another clutch member 32 is feathered on the shaft '30 and is adapted to be shifted by a hand lever 33 fulcrumed for example as at 34 and extending rearwardly from the main frame at a point where it can be conveniently grasped and actuted by the operator. Obviously when the lever is in one position shaft 30 can rotate without actuating the gear'29 and the parts driven thereby whereas when the lever is in another position gear 29 will be coupled to the shaft. Shaft 16 has a gear 16 which meshes with one of the worms 26 on shaft 27. I Shaft 30 is adapted to be driven by means of a gear 35 secured thereto and receiving motion from a gear 36 secured to the shaft 36'.. This last named shaft constitutes the main drive shaft of the mechanism and is adapted to be driven by a suitable motor 37 carried by the main frame and which can transmit motion to the shaft through gears such as indicated at 42.

A gear 41 is secured to shaft 30 so as to rotate therewith and this gear constantly meshes with a gear 42 mounted to rotate freely on a transverse shaft 43. Gear-40 has 45 adapted to move with a frame 46 which bridges gear 42Land slides along the shaft 43.v Another'clutch 'm'ember 47 is engaged by" and moves with the frame 46 but is mounted to rotate freely on the shaft 43 and this clutch member 47 has adrum 48 rotatable therewith. shifting lever 49 is suitably mounted, as at 50, beneath the inclined plate 6 and is connected at one end to the frame-46 while its rear end can be readilygras'ped and moved by the operator located at the back of the machine. By shiftingframe 46 in one direction gear 42 will be coupled-t0 the shaft 43 and thus cause the shaft '43 to rotate independently of the drum 48. Byshifting the frame 46 in the other direction, however, the shaft 43 will be uncoupled from the gear 42. while drum 48 will be coupled to said gear and will be rotated-thereby upon the. shaft 43.

Secured to,-"the;; projecting ends of the shaft 43-aredrums51 and'secured to and wound upon these drums are out-haul cables 52 which extend upwardly over guide sheaves 53 supported above the sides 1 of the frame and then converge forwardly so as to pass between a pair :of sheaves 54mounted in a carriage 55. 'Thislc'arriage is mounted on a transversely extending screw 56 journaled in standards 57 ontheside 1 near the front of the apparatus. vA guide loop 58 is extended upwardlyfrom-the frontportion of the carriage 55 andthe out-haul cables 52 are extended therethroughand forwardly to any suitable pointl'where they can be securely fastened. v

A sprocket 59 is securedto one end of the screw 56 and is engaged by a chain'60 extending rearwardly toa sprocket 61. This sprocket is adapted to be, rotated by the op 'erator'so asthjus torotate'thescrew 56 and the apparatus constituting-the pres'en ed on the floor of thefchariiber in the mine.

vention is set at 'onegend-Tof'the chamber the cable {)2 ar extended fqrwardly u I l i l aa some oin we 11). the path 7 0f the appa at secured to a,

A back-haul cable-"62' is wound about ande cured to the drum 48 andis secured tofa' fixed I j structure lnrear of thefpath" of movement of the apparatus, Ai trackffor supporting cars ,tobe loaded is-arranged alongsidethe path charging belt 10 iIIF eIevate material above and- .dehver it downwardlyfinto"one of the. cars. v

f'After the, beeniproperly ..arranged the motor .37 is-"set in operation of the apparatus sofjthat the laterally dis- 85 a clutch face 44 on each side thereof 1 and f pledgorjgeared'to shaft so, hat'f'all ofthejlto worm or spiral conveyors 24 will be rotated simultaneously. Each worm will rotate oppositely to the adjoining worm and all of them Wlll cooperate to direct engaged material upwardly within the troughs 8 and onto the belt 10. The belt 10 is of course driven by the shaft 16. By shifting clutch member 45 into engagement with one of the clutch members 44 the drums 51 will be rotated and the out-haul cables 52 will be wound thereon. Accordingly the apparatus will be drawn forward gradually and the points of the spiral or worm conveyors 24 will slide along the floor of the mine and plow under the pile of coal. At the same time these conveyors will move the coal rearwardl within the troughs and direct it onto the belt 10. By shifting carriage 55 I during this movement the line of draft can be'varied, thus to slightly change the direction of movement of the apparatus and roperly guide it durin the operation.

p Should it be desired o reverse the movement of the apparatus it is merely necessary to shift lever 49 so as to engage clutch member 47 with clutch member 44 and uncouple gear 42 from shaft 43. This will result in the actuation of drum 48 and the winding of the back-haul line 62.

With an apparatus of the class described a path several feet in width can be cleared of coal and the material conveyed rearwardly and upwardly and thence laterally so as to be directed into the cars provided therefor. Importance is attached to the fact that empty cars can be arranged along the side of the path of the apparatus where they can be brought conveniently into position to receive the delivered material.

While the apparatus has been designed primarily for loading coal in mines'it is to 'be understood that it can be used for loading other material such as stones, etc.

Attention is called to the fact that the carriage 55 is located at a higher level than the drum 51. Thus it will be apparent that when the out-haul lines are under tension during the forward movement of the apparatus they will exert downward pressures on the carriage and likewise upon the front .portion of the apparatus, thus to maintain the front edge 7 of the inclined plate and the front ends of the spiral conveyors in intimate contact with the surface on which the apparatus is mounted.

What is claimed is 1. Loading apparatus including a movably supported inclined plate, a series of spiral conveyors thereabove and havin tapered ends projecting forwardly beyond the inclined p ate, a carriage movably supported above the conveyor, winding drums at the sides of the inclined plate, outhaul cables extending throughv the carriage and connected to the drums, means for simultaneously rotating the drums and the conveyors to feed the apparatus forwardly and elevate engaged material, and means for shifting the carriage to guide the apparatus.

2. Loading apparatus including an inclined plate movably supported, spiral conveyors above and projecting forwardly beyond the inclined plate, a carriage movably mounted above the conveyors, outhaul cables extending through the carriage, means for simultaneously taking up said cables and rotating the spiral conveyors, and means for adjusting the carriage laterally relative to the inclined plate to guide the apparatus.

3. oading apparatus including a movably supported inclined plate, spiral conveyors thereabove and projecting forwardly" therebeyond, a transversely extending adjusting screw supported above the inclined plate, a carriage engaged thereby, out-haul cables extending through the carriage, means remote from the carriage for actuating the screw to shift the carriage laterally, and means for taking up the out-haul lines to propel the apparatus.

4. Loading apparatus including a movably supported inclined plate, spiral conveyors above and projecting forward] beyond the inclined plate, a laterally ad ustable carriage supported above the forward portion of the inclined plate, winding drums, out-haul lines engaging the carriage and extending to the drums, said drums being located at a lower level than the carrlage, and means for rotating the drums to propel the apparatus forwardly and to set up a downward pressure upon the carriage and the front portion of the apparatus from the out-haul lines.

5. Loading apparatus including a movably supported inclined plate, spiral conveyors above and projectin forwardliy from the inclined plate, a filterall a justable carriage above the forwar ortion of the inclined plate, out-haul lines engaging the carriage, drums connected to the out-haul lines, a back-haul line, a drum engaged thereby, drivin mechanism carried by the apparatus, an means for transmitting motion from said mechanism to the drums of the out-haul lines or to the drum of the back-haul lines.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

JEREMIAH MORROW. 

